Kulju

Our trip to Finland was arranged a while ago and a little differently to the previous countries. Agi, Flora and us visited Agi's old friend from her teenagehood and stayed with them for some real Finnish experience in their holiday cottage in Kulju, a tiny little village 25 minutes from Tampere.
Finland is the country of thousand lakes and many if not most families have a summerhouse. The weather was rather rainy and cold but we enjoyed some typical Finnish sauna time every day in their private homemade sauna just a few steps from the house (all made out of wood). Sauna is not only for pleasure but also the only way to wash as no bathroom is available, only a "toilet" in the woods. Once we even went in the cold lake after being properly warmed up by the 80° sauna which is the real way to do this experience. Other times we enjoyed the fireplace in the cottage while playing boardgames and having typical gin and grapefruit drinks.
One day the sun came out and we could row a boat all around the lake and cook sausages on the barbeque outside in the evening.
The midsummer night was just a couple of weeks before our visit so it was light pretty much all night which was so weird and confusing, the first time we expereinced anything like this.
It was an extremely unique, relaxing and typically Finnish few days which we are so grateful that we could experience. Thank you Kaija, Lisa, Petri and Varpu!Read more